Flood 2021 - After Action Review
This engagement was completed.
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Overview
Unprecedented flooding in 2021 affected several communities in the Northwest Territories.
This was one of the largest disasters in recorded history for the territory has ever dealt with and was extremely challenging for community governments and the territorial government in terms of the response efforts.
To learn from this emergency, the GNWT has completed an After-Action Review (AAR) – to listen to the perspectives of those who were involved or affected and to prepare for future emergencies.
Related work includes a review of the Disaster Assistance Policy (DAP) — the territory’s primary method of supporting people, communities, and businesses financially after the floods.
Have Your Say
We asked to hear from you about your experiences during the 2021 floods.
An online survey was developed targeting:
- Flood-affected residents
- Flood-affected businesses
- Emergency responders (i.e. paramedics, police, volunteer firefighters)
The survey closed on April 28, 2022.
If you need further information, you may contact us at flood@gov.nt.ca.
No personal information will be collected and surveys are only being used for the purposes of completing and analyzing feedback.
Federal, territorial, and community governments will be reached directly to collect their feedback.
What is an After-Action Review?
An AAR is routinely done by emergency management officials to analyze the response, learn about what went well, what could have been done better, and how to prepare for next time.
Areas for feedback
The AAR will focus on several key areas:
- Risk Assessment: Seeking input regarding how the territory assessed and communicated flooding risks and evacuation requirements.
- Preparedness: Assessing the overall preparedness and readiness of residents, community governments and the territorial government.
- Control and Coordination: Assessing the control, coordination and understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the territorial government, community governments, small businesses and residents during an emergency.
- Communications: Assessing the effectiveness of communications tools (i.e. social media, public safety bulletins, direct outreach) used throughout the 2021 flood season.
- Response: Assessing the overall effectiveness of the emergency response, from preparations and readiness through to the evacuation and hosting process.
- Recovery: Assessing the overall effectiveness of recovery efforts by the territorial government and support for displaced residents, use of the DAP, repairs and community support.
Background: Disaster Assistance Policy
The DAP provides financial support to assist individuals, small businesses and community governments in recovering from a disaster and restoring damaged property to its pre-disaster condition.
Under the policy, assistance of up to 80% of the total amount of loss experienced in the disaster to a maximum of $100,000 may be provided.
The policy is not intended to provide full compensation. It is funding of last resort – individuals, businesses, and community governments are expected to contribute and to lower costs through insurance or other compensation wherever possible.
Where it was used
In 2021, the DAP was applied in:
- Fort Simpson
- Jean Marie River
- Fort Good Hope
- Little Buffalo River
- Aklavik
Next Steps
Based on feedback collected, other analysis, and a scan of practices in other provinces and territories, the GNWT will:
- Release an After-Action Report detailing:
- What went well,
- What were the challenges, and
- Recommendations for improvements to emergency management in the territory.
